New Orleans area police reports for Feb. 16, 2013

New Orleans area police reports for Feb. 16, 2013

Metairie deathsruled as homicides

Metairie — The deaths of two Metairie men found dead inside their apartment on Thursday have been ruled homicides, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office announced on Thursday.

Akeem Boudreaux, 22, and Morris Alexander Williams, 26, were found dead by a friend inside their apartment in the 2200 block of Edenborn Avenue.

Initially, because of the decomposition of the bodies, authorities were not sure if their deaths were a murder/suicide, or a double homicide, said Col. John Fortunato, a sheriff’s spokesman. It has now been determined that both men were shot in the head by someone else.

Fortunato confirmed that there had been reports of prostitution at a previous apartment the men occupied. No motive or suspects have been released in the case.

Woman accused of role in shooting

Harvey — A Harvey woman has been accused of participating in a shooting near her home last year but her exact role in the incident is still murky.

Iesha Ross was booked with being a principal to attempted second-degree murder in connection with a brazen shooting on Dec. 29. According to an incident report from the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, a 23-year-old man was at his apartment in the 1000 block of Estalote Street when an unknown man knocked on the door.

The victim said the man asked for his roommate, and when the victim said the roommate wasn’t home the man pulled out a gun. According to the report, the man tried to shoot the victim but the gun jammed. The victim then closed the door and hid behind a sofa, and the gunman fired several shots into the apartment through a window. The report did not describe Ross’ role in the incident.

Teen girl shot twice on Old Prieur Street

New Orleans — A 16-year-old girl standing with friends was shot twice Thursday night when an unknown gunman opened fire on the group.

The incident was reported around 9:23 p.m. in the 1800 block of Old Prieur Street. According to New Orleans police, the victim was standing outside when an unknown person fired on them. The girl was shot twice in the leg. The shooter fled the scene.

Man accused in rape of disabled teenager

New Orleans — A New Orleans man has been booked with aggravated rape after authorities say he raped a mentally disabled girl after the teenager’s babysitter left her alone with him in a bedroom.

According to court records, the incident occurred in the 100 block of Lamanche Street on Feb. 2. The records state that Joshua Recasner, 35, was at the home visiting a female friend while she babysat a 13-year-old girl.

The woman told police that she walked in on Recasner and the victim lying in the bed with Recasner wearing only boxer shorts. She left the two alone, and a few minutes later heard a sound like a headboard hitting a wall, and the victim telling Recasner to stop. When the woman returned to the room, she saw Recasner on top of the victim with his genitals exposed, the report stated. The woman said she asked Recasner to leave, and he later apologized to the woman for the sexual contact. No explanation was given for why the witness left the victim alone, and the witness’ name was not included in court records.

N.O. man arrested in beating of two

New Orleans — Police arrested a 32-year-old New Orleans man on Valentines Day after they say he beat up his girlfriend and her male cousin earlier this month.

Orenthal James Henry was booked with aggravated battery and domestic abuse battery. According to court records, he started fighting with a female friend Feb. 2 after accusing her of flirting with another man. When the woman’s cousin tried to intervene, Henry hit him with a brick, police say.

Gunfire erupts following argument

New Orleans — A 49-year-old man is accused of shooting up an Algiers home after he argued with a man about another incident.

Tony Wright was booked with two counts of aggravated assault and two counts of aggravated burglary on Valentines Day.

According to a court record, Wright was confronted by the victim after he had a fight with the victim’s uncle earlier this month. Wright left the victim but came back with a gun, burst into the man’s home and started firing, the records state. No one was injured.